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Monday, February 4, 2013

CALGARY, AB. - The Western Hockey League announced today that Kamloops Blazers’ forward Colin Smith is the Denny’s WHL Player of the Week, for the third time this season.

Smith collected 10 points, scoring four goals and six assists in four games over the past week, helping the Blazers to a 3-1-0-0 record in that span.

On Monday, January 28, the Blazers hosted B.C. Division rivals the Kelowna Rockets. Smith scored one goal, added two assists and was named the game’s 2nd Star in the Rockets 6-5 overtime win over the Rockets. On Wednesday, January 30, in Portland, Smith picked up one goal in the Blazers 5-2 loss to the Winterhawks. On Friday, February 1, the Blazers were back in Kamloops hosting the Spokane Chiefs. Smith collected one goal, four assists and was named the games’ 2nd Star in the Blazers 7-4 triumph over the visiting Chiefs. On Saturday, February 2, in Everett, Smith scored one goal in Blazers 3-2 shoot-out road victory over the Silvertips.

Smith currently sits 3rd among all WHL scorers with 86 points (36 goals, 50 assists) in 55 games played thus far this season. The Blazers are 6-3-0-1 their last 10 and currently sit 3rd in the WHL Western Conference with a 35-15-2-3 record for 75 points.

A 19-year-old from Edmonton, AB, Smith is in his fourth full season with the Kamloops Blazers. The Blazers selected Smith in the 1st round – 7th overall in the 2008 WHL Draft and was recently a 7th round pick in the 2012 NHL Draft by the Colorado Avalanche.

The WHL has also nominated Andrey Makarov of the Saskatoon Blades for the CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Makarovposted a 3-0-0-0 record this past week with one shut-out, stopping 107 of 109 shots faced for a 0.982 save-percentage and 0.67 goals-against average. Makarov, a 19-year-old from Kazan, RUS, led the Blades to wins over the Brandon Wheat Kings 5-1 (1st Star), the Calgary Hitmen 6-0 (1st Star) and the Swift Current Broncos 4-1 (3rd Star).